Tufting machine with needle plate



Jan.2, 1968 1 ,T SHORT 3,361,095

TUFTING MACHINE WITH NEEDLE PLATE Filed Nov. 12, 1965 25 2M 1 I F|G.2 I5 I4 S A y 6 I I A so 23 I 22 22 wbl-ra Y H6 3 INVENTOR.

JOE T. SHORT BY- im v ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,361,095 TUFTING MACHINE WITH NEEDLE PLATE Joe T. Short, West Point, Ga., assignor to Callaway Mills Company, La Grange, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Filed Nov. 12, 1965, Ser. No. 507,298 15 Claims. (Cl. 112-79) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE There is disclosed a tufting machine having a plurality of staggered rows of needles to form yarn loops in a backing sheet and a needle plate to support the backing sheet with staggered rows of channels in the needle plate to receive the rows of needles.

This invention relates to the support of material through which yarn or the like is being urged by a needle or the like and, more particularly to a needle plate for a multineedle tufting machine.

In the tufting and in those related arts in which yarn or the like is forced through a backing or other material, it is customary to support backing material on one side as yarn is urged through the backing material from the other side. In the multi-needle tufting machine used in the tufting art, this support is provided by a needle plate. This needle plate must not only support the backing material as yarn is urged through the backing material by a plurality of needles but it must also provide for the extension of the needles beyond the backing material as they urge yarn through the backing material and for the subsequent movement of the backing material with extending loops of yarn.

Prior art efforts to meet these requirements for a needl plate to be used with a multi-needle tufting machine have included needle plate arrangements having a pluralityof parallel ribbon fingers extending beneath the plurality of needles and between which the needles pass as they pass through the backing material. One difficulty with this prior art needle plate arrangement is that it is not adaptable to tufting with a plurality of needles arranged in staggered relationship in a plurality of transverse rows so that the needles in one row overlap the needles in another row. This is because the ribbon fingers in such a needle plate arrangement must be bent to follow a tortuous path between the needles in different rows in order to prevent the needles from striking the ribbon fingers as they pass through the backing material and because when bent to follow such paths, the ribbon fingers are struck by loops of yarn as the backing material subsequently advances.

Another difliculty with this prior art needle plate arrangement is that where hollow needles are being used on a multi-needle tufting machine, the arrangement supports the backing material only between hollow needles, in the same transverse row and does not support the backing material at those points at which the hollow needles .are being initially forced through the backing material. This support can be provided only by supporting the backing material on that side of each hollow needle toward which the backing material is moving since it is on this side of each hollow needle that the extending tip of the needle is centered.

The invention disclosed herein overcomes these and other diificulties encountered in this and other prior art needle plate arrangements. It is particularly well adapted to supporting backing material in a multi-needle tufting machine using hollow needles having extending tips which are initially and progressively forced through the backing material. This is because it supports the backing material adjacent the arcs of the crescent-shaped openings 3,361,095 Patented. Jan. 2, 1968 in the backing material created by the initial, progressive pass-age of the tips of the hollow needles through the backing material. Moreover, it provides this support with a substantially fiat surface which does not itself tend to pass through and impale the backing material. In addition and regardless of the type of needle being used in the multi-needle tufting machine, the invention may be used to support backing material in this manner even where a plurality of needles are arranged in the plurality of transverse rows with the needles in one row overlapping the needles in another row. This is because it does not impede the subsequent motion of loops of yarn extending from the backing material.

These improvements in the support of a backing material are provided by a needle plate which is positioned beneath the hollow needles of a multi-needle tufting machine and in which a plurality of recesses define a plurality of crescent-shaped edges that support a backing material adjacent those portions through which the extending tips of the hollow needles are initially forced. The crescent-shaped edges conform generally in shape to a portion of the cross-sectional shape of the hollow needles .and provde maximum support to the backing material as the extending tips of the hollow needles are forced through thebacking material.

Each recess in the needle plate is open at one side or is continuous with an open channel to provide for the movement of a loop of yarn from within the recess as the backing material advances. Other than for the recesses .and the channels, the needle plate is flat and provides a substantially flat support surface for a backing material as it advances across the needle plate beneath the hollow needles.

These and other features and advantages of the invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings in which like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view of a first embodiment of the needle plate positioned beneath the needle bar, hollow needles, and presser foot of a multineedle tufting machine;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of that embodiment of the needle plate shown in FIG. 1;.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, sectional view of that embodiment of the needle plate shown in FIG. 1 taken substantially in line 3--3 in FIG. 2 and with a presser foot, a plurality. of needles, and a tufted fabric also shown;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of a second embodiment of the needle plate disclosed herein;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of a third embodiment of the needle plate disclosed herein.

These figures and the following detailed description disclose specific embodiments of the invention but the invention is not limited to the details disclosed since it may be embodied in other equivalent forms.

The needle plate disclosed herein is best understood as to plate 10 having a substantially flat fabric supporting surface 15 positioned beneath the plurality of hollow needles 11 extending from the needle bar 12 of a multineedle tufting machine (notshown). The plate 10 is attached to a support member 13 of the multi-needle tufting machine and is positioned for the passage of a backing material 14 over its upper surface 15 and beneath the presser foot 16 which is conventionally provided on a multi-needle tufting machine. Thus, the needle plate disclosed herein is conventional in its positioning and in its use on a multi-needle tufting machine.

However, unlike prior art needle plates, the needle plate disclosed herein has a plurality of recesses 17 formed in its supporting surface 15. These recesses 17 provide a lurality of crescent-shaped edges 18. In that embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the recesses 17 provide crescent-shaped edges 18 arranged in position to support a backing material 14 through which a plurality of hollow needles 11 are forced. These hollow needles 11 are arranged in two transverse rows with the hollow needles 11 in one row in staggered relationship to the hollow needles 11 in the other row. Thus, the crescent-shaped edges 18 are arranged in similar staggered relationship in two parallel rows extending transversely across the multi-needle tufting machine and generally corresponding in position to the two transverse rows of hollow needles 11. Moreover, each crescent-shaped edge 18 is adjacent the path of motion relative to the plate of that side of a hollow needle 11 toward which the backing material 14 moves.

The crescent-shaped edges 18a in one row are provided by substantially semi-circular external recesses 17a positioned at the extending edge 19 of the plate 10. The crescent-shaped edges 18b in the second row are pro vided by substantially circular internal recesses 17b positioned inwardly of the external recesses 17a and from each of which a channel 20 extends between adjacent external recesses 17a. These channels 20 are open at those ends remote from the internal recesses 17b.

In that embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the centers of curvature of the external recesses 17a and internal recesses 17b coincide with the centerlines of the hollow needles 11 and are equally spaced along the length of the plate 10 and transversely across the multi-needle tufting machine, and the channels 20 extend from the internal recesses 17b in the direction of motion of the backing material 14 across the plate 10 as generally indicated by the arrow 21 in FIG. 3. The channels 20 include the entire lengths of the openings from the outer end of the needle plate to the rear wall of each channel defined by the crescent shaped interior edges 18. The channels 20 thus include the recesses 17. In FIGURE 2, a relatively short channel extends from the edge 18a through each of the recesses 17a. A relatively long channel extends from each of the edges 18b through the recesses 17b and then through the straight portion of the channel to the outer end of the needle plate. Thus, it will be seen that as backing material 14 advances across the supporting surface of the plate 10 toward its extending edge 19, the loops of yarn 22 formed with the hollow needles 11 which extend from the backing material 14 will move away from the first row of crescent-shaped edges 18a and will move away from the second row of crescent-shaped edges 18b, in each case through the channels 20.

It will now be understood that the needle plate disclosed herein does not impede the motion of a backing material 1 4 and of loops of yarn 22 extending from the backing material 14. This is because the plate 10 provides a substantially fiat upper surface 15 which supports the backing material 14 without impaling the backing material 14 or otherwise impeding its motion through a multi-needle tufting machine and because the recesses 17 and the channels provide for the formation and free movement of loops of yarn 22.

It will also be understood that the formation of the loops of yarn 22 is facilitated by countersinking the recesses 17 from the surface 23 of the plate 10 to provide space 24 of increased diameter below each crescent-shaped edge 18a and 18b to accommodate the increasing size of a loop of yarn 22 as it is formed and extends below a crescent-shaped edge 18a or 1812. More importantly, it will be understood that the crescent-shaped edges 18 are symmetrical in the plane of the supporting surface 15 about centerlines parallel to the direction of motion of the backing material 14 across the supporting surface 15-.

Thus, the crescent-shaped edges 18 provide support to a backing material 14 adjacent those portions 25 which are initially engaged by the extending tips 26 of the hollow needles 11 and in which the tips 26 of the hollow needles 11 progressively form crescent-shaped openings. As a result, the backing material 14 is supported adjacent those portions 25 at which the hollow needles 11 are exerting that force necessary to initially penetrate the backing material 14 and at which maximum support of the backing material 14 is required.

A second embodiment of the needle plate shown in FIG. 4 is similar to that embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 except that both the external recesses 17a and the internal recesses 17b are placed remote from the extending edge 19 of the plate 10 to provide additional support for the backing material 14 beyond the plurality of hollow needles 11 in the direction of motion 21 of the backing material 14. In this embodiment of the needle plate, the channels 2.0 extend from both the external recesses 17a and the internal recesses 17b and one side 28 of each channel20 is tangential to the side of the recess 17a or 1711' from which it extends. The result of this channel 20 arrange ment is that the channels 20' from the internal recesses 17b merge with the channels 20 from the external recesses 17a when the recesses 17a and 17b are overlapping to receive hollow needles 11 arranged in a similar manner. However, it will be understood that this embodiment of the invention provides a plurality of crescentshaped edges 18a and 18b similar to the crescent-shaped edges 18a and 8b provided by the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

This second embodiment of the invention may be readily extended to provide crescent-shaped edges corresponding in position to the overlapping hollow needles 11 in three or more transverse rows. This is shown by a third embodiment of the invention in FIG. 5 where intermediate recesses are provided between the external recesses 17a and internal recesses 17 b". When FIG. 5 is examined, it will be seen that the intermediate recesses 17c and the internal recesses 17 b" bear the same relationship to the external recesses 17a and the intermediate recesses 17c respectively as the internal recesses 17b bear to the exterior recesses 17a in that embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 4. The result is a plurality of crescentshaped edges 18a", 18b and 18c arranged in manner similar to the arrangement of overlapping hollow needles 11 in three transverse rows.

In all embodiments of the invention, the crescent-shaped edges 18 provide support to the backing material 14 adjacent those portions 25 of the backing material 14 through which the hollow needles 11 are initially and progressively forced. Moreover, in all embodiments of the invention, a substantially flat supporting surface 15 is provided over which the backing material 14 freely passes. In addition, in all embodiments of the invention and regardless of whether the hollow needles 11 are or are not arranged in a Staggered, overlapping manner, loops of yarn 22 are easily formed in the backing material 14 and are free to move without damage with the backing material 14.

In all embodiments of the invention, there is a channel in the needle plate for each needle. Each of the channels has a rear wall defined by the crescent or arcuate shaped edge 18 at the base of the channel closely adjacent to the needle received in the channel and thus providing support for the fabric close to the needle. Moreover, each channel in each embodiment has at least one side wall closely adjacent to the needle received in the channel. Such sidewall is defined in all embodiments of the invention at least in part by the portion of the crescent shaped edge which extends around the side of the needle and additionally in some embodiments by a straight portion extending out from the crescent shaped edge (for example, FIGURE 4.)

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many variations may be made in the embodiments chosen for the purpose of illustrating the present invention without departing from the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims;

What is claimed as invention is:

1. In a multiple needle tufting machine having a plurality of rows of hollow needles mounted for reciprocating movement to carry yarn through a backing sheet, the needles in each row being spaced between the needles in any adjoining row, means to cause a stream of fluid to flow through each of said hollow needles while they are operatively disposed in the backing sheet to move yarn through the needles to form yarn loops in the backing sheet, means to move said backing sheet transverse to said rows so that rows of said loops are formed in said sheet, each of said needles having a bevelled lower end to form a prortuding edge on one side of the needle to penetrate the backing sheet, said one side of each needle facing opposite to the direction of movement of the backing sheet, and a needle plate mounted to support the backing sheet and having openings therein to receive the needles, the improvement wherein said needle plate comprising a unitary planar member having a flat upper surface for supporting engagement with the underside of the backing sheet and an outer end extending across and facing in the direction of movement of the backing sheet, said plate having a plurality of rows of channels extending therethrough, there being one of said rows of channels to receive each of said rows of needles, each of said channels opening into said outer end and extending therefrom into the plate to terminate at a rear wall defined by an interior edge of said plate, the rear walls of each row of channels being spaced from the rear walls of any adjoining row of channels, each of said rear walls being closely adjacent to said one side of the needle received in its respective channel, each channel having at least one sidewall closely adjacent to the needle received therein.

2. A tufting machine according to claim 1 wherein both sidewalls of each of said channels extend to said outer end of said plate.

3. A tufting machine according to claim 2 wherein each channel in the innermost row of channels has a lateral recess in each of its sidewalls adjacent its rear wall.

4. A tufting machine according to claim 1 wherein each channel which is inwardly of the outer row of channels has a first sidewall terminating adjacent the rear wall of the next outer row of channels so that the outer ends of adjoining channels merge with each other.

5. A tnfting machine according to claim 4 wherein said channels are spaced uniformly apart and each channel in the innermost row of channels has a second sidewall which extends to said outer end of said plate, said second sidewall being recessed laterally adjacent its respective rear Wall.

6. A tufting machine according to claim 5 wherein there is at least one intermediate row of channels between said outer and innermost rows of channels.

7. A tufting machine according to claim 1 wherein each of said channels has a countersunk rear portion extending upwardly from the bottom surface of said planar member across said rear wall to provide additional clearance for a tuft protruding through the channel.

8. A tufting machine according to claim 1 wherein each of said rear walls has a concave configuration corresponding closely to the periphery of its respective needle.

9. A tufting machine according to claim 8 wherein each of said rear walls is arcuate to correspond to'a circular needle.

10. A tufting machine according to claim 8 wherein each of said channels has a countersunk rear portion extending upwardly from the bottom surface of said planar member around said concave rear wall to provide additional clear' ance for a tuft protruding through the channel.

11. A tufting machine according to claim 8 wherein both sidewalls of each of said channels extend to said outer end of said plate.

12.. A tufting machine according to claim 11 wherein each channel in the innermost row of channels has a lateral recess in each of its sidewalls adjacent its rear wall.

13. A tufting machine according to claim 8 wherein each channel which is inwardly of the outer row of channels has a first sidewall terminating adjacent the rear wall of the next outer row of channels so that the outer ends of adjoining channels merge with each other.

14. A tufting machine according to claim 13 wherein said channels are spaced uniformly apart, and each chan nel in the innermost row of channels has a second sidewall which extends to said outer end of said plate, said second sidewall being recessed laterally adjacent its respective rear wall.

15. A tufting machine according to claim 14 wherein there is at least one intermediate row of channels between said outer and innermost rows of channels.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,264,538 4/1918 McNeil 112-260 1,800,522 4/ 193 1 Gladish 11279 3,064,600 11/1962 Card 112-260 X RICHARD J. SCANLAN, JR.., Primary Examiner. 

